From the Castro Catacombs, the Alliance of Christians of Cuba Fights for Freedom

The members of the Alliance of Christians of Cuba, in the catacombs of Castroism, promote knowledge of human rights, especially freedom of expression and religion, attention to the impoverished population, to prisoners, both political and common, and have called on Cuban parents to reject school impositions from the State.

From the moment of the Alliance’s founding in 2022, there was pressure from State Security on some pastors so that they did not participate in the initiative, composed mainly of leaders of churches that the regime refuses to register. Bishop Isael Cagidez, of the Estrella de Belén church, was arrested the day before the first meeting of the Alliance, which brought together some 60 evangelical leaders from the island. They threatened and pressured him not to participate.

The organization of the meetings occurs as in ancient Rome, in the catacombs. Some Christian’s house serves those gathered. The leaders move discreetly towards a city.

Pastor Enrique de Jesús Fundora is one of the coordinators of the new independent organization. He himself had to go into exile due to his civic stance in the face of the mass incarcerations following the demonstrations of July 11, 2021.

Now, in Switzerland, he pastors the foreign community of a Reformed church, while his complaints reach the headquarters of human rights organizations.

The first meeting of the Alliance in 2023 left frontal statements: “We commit to be governed by the principles of justice, truthfulness, rectitude and freedom of conscience; mutually recognizing our rights as citizens of Cuba. We commit to working to heal the wounds of our hungry nation, divided and spurred by an inadequate social project and its consequences of uncertainty and domination. … We work to advocate for greater political, economic and social freedoms, so that all Cubans can live with dignity and self-determination.”

Here is my interview with Pastor Fundora:

YS: When and why was the Alliance of Christians of Cuba born?

EJF: The Alliance of Christians of Cuba was founded on November 18, 2022 in the city of Victoria de Las Tunas, as a result of the urgent need for religious leaders to join forces in the face of the wave of persecution suffered by believers by the authorities.

It was the way these pastors found to articulate their voice in the face of civil protests that demanded freedom and improvements in the economic system from the government. These protests confronted religious leaders with the reality of repression and they had to take a stand against the imprisonment and harassment of many of the members of their congregations who had participated in the demonstrations.

And when they tried to defend their parishioners before the Cuban authorities, they themselves became targets of the political police.

This made them feel the need to support each other and take common positions that would help them achieve political impact, especially through pressure on international human rights mechanisms. At the same time, they found ways to manage support for victims of human rights violations.

YS: Who is part of it? How is it structured?

EJF: The Alliance is made up of pastors and ministry leaders (church networks) who feel unprotected before the law, either because the socialist State refuses to register them, to draft a legal framework that allows them to be “legalized,” or pastors of registered churches that feel legally abandoned in the fight to defend the human rights of their parishioners and the Cuban people in general.

Although the majority of members of the Alliance are pastors whose churches are considered illegal by the government, it is also made up of several who belong to registered denominations, and who have made the decision to raise their voices in defense of the Cuban people, despite the fact that their own denominations have chosen not to speak out or act publicly in the face of Castro’s atrocities.

These pastors are members in their personal capacity and do not represent their denominations. They only represent their congregations. The Alliance structure has an International Representative and a Council of leaders made up of 10 pastors who meet to make joint decisions.

Within Cuba there is no director because he would be repressed and harassed by the political police if the entire structural weight of the Alliance fell on that person.

YS: What has been the response from the registered institutions?

EJF: Many pastors who are members of these denominations have joined because, as I said, they understand the need to defend the human rights of their parishioners and the Cuban people in general.

YS: What is the official approach of the Alliance regarding the situation in the country?

EJF: The Alliance has a clear position regarding the current situation in Cuba and blames the government for the situation experienced by the Cuban population. The position of the Alliance is that the lack of fundamental freedoms included in the International Bill of Human Rights is the cause of the economic and social problems that the country faces today.

YS: Have you received intimidation for your work?

EJF: All pastors publicly registered in the Alliance have received threats directly from the political police and in some cases there have been direct damages. Many leaders have become victims of violations of their human rights.

The political police have tried to dissolve the Alliance and have punished self-employed workers who, in one way or another, have provided us with logistical services, to try to prevent the meetings from taking place.

Some leaders have also come under pressure in their own congregations for speaking out in favor of fundamental freedoms. The fear is great.

YS: In Cuban history other similar initiatives such as Pastors for Change, from 2012, have had their social impact decreased due to repression. Do you think that could be the destiny, in the long run, of the Alliance?

EJF: No. The Alliance does not have a specific leader and its board is a Council. This allows police repression to not be concentrated on a key figure who could destabilize the organization.

In the event that a member of the Council is imprisoned or decides to resign due to pressure, another would be elected in his or her place without affecting the functioning of the organization. And the international representative of the Alliance, who is the public face, is beyond the reach of the Cuban government’s repression.